On Saturday after the Rice football team’s final regular season game, the question was simple: “What has it all meant?”

Who knew when asked to Rice senior handyman Luke Turner after the 27-7 victory against Charlotte that those five words would elicit such a response.

The emotion came partly from it being Turner’s final regular season game of his do-it-all career as a Rice Owl. However, when Turner looked toward Rice coach David Bailiff, his voice cracked and he fought back tears.

“First off, I just want to say thanks to Coach Bailiff because that man right there gave me a chance when no one else wanted to give me a chance,” Turner said.

Turner looked at Bailiff, who typically stands in the back of the press conference as his players talk, between the words “gave me” and “a chance.” It was like making eye contact with Bailiff is what broke the wall holding back Turner’s emotions.

Asked a ? & press conference went from ‘happy victory mode’ to ‘is there dust in here’ mode. Luke Turner started to tear up. Then Bailiff.

Bailiff is a players’ coach. He invited players who didn’t have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving over to his house. He spends some practices talking with them not just about football, but life and being a good man. He has preached to his team that he wants them to be unselfish and leave a legacy. He also sets his recruiting standards on men of good character.

At the end of the video, there is a brief shot of Bailiff and Turner embracing. They spoke quietly to each other in that embrace for several seconds before Turner left the press conference, leaving the coach he loves so much in a room of journalists, choking back his own tears.